No, so-called “shaker cases” describe mesothelioma in a spouse, or sometimes in the children, of a person who worked in an asbestos-contaminated facility, and brought asbestos fibers home on their clothes. When their spouse, usually a wife, would launder their clothes, they would often shake the dust out before putting them in the wash. Unfortunately, that dust was largely comprised of asbestos fibers, which were then inhaled by the spouse or children. Shaker cases are a form of second-hand asbestos exposure that has tragically impacted many families in the New Orleans area. Because so much of our industry put asbestos-containing products to use for so long, families in the area often seem disproportionately affected by asbestos and the diseases it can cause in people. If your family has been impacted by asbestos exposure, either directly or through second-hand exposure, you should know that there are legal avenues for you. The compensation that manufacturers…Read More
New Orleans Mesothelioma Attorney Explains High Number Of Mesothelioma Cases Because of the industries that have fueled our region’s economy for decades, mesothelioma is a particular risk for people who’ve lived and worked in New Orleans all their lives. From oil production and refining to mesothelioma cases because of shipbuilding and construction, not to mention factories and mills of various kinds, asbestos was used widely in industry throughout the area for most of the last century. It wasn’t until the 1970s that policymakers and ordinary people became aware of the dangers of asbestos, and it wasn’t until 1989 that major controls on new uses of the mineral were imposed. For countless older Americans, much of their working life was spent in asbestos-contaminated sites. In addition, we have yet to learn what the ultimate health impacts will be for the residents of New Orleans and the workers who came to reconstruct our region…Read More
Are Women Exposed To Asbestos Secondhand At Risk For Mesothelioma? While the majority of mesothelioma cases occur in men, that doesn’t mean that men are more susceptible to this aggressive form of cancer than women are. Instead, it indicates certain societal patterns from earlier decades, where men tended to work outside the home. Often these environments were heavily contaminated with asbestos. During this time period, women tended to either stay home or work in occupations that were less likely to expose them to airborne asbestos. Sadly, because asbestos fibers can cling to clothing, skin, and hair, some family members of workers from contaminated work sites have developed asbestos-related diseases like mesothelioma and asbestosis through secondhand exposure to the fibers. Our long history of using asbestos in countless products and structures, and the long latency period of mesothelioma, has created a situation where many older Americans develop a dangerous disease decades after working…Read More
Yes, in the event that you die before a mesothelioma lawsuit or claim is finished, your estate will receive any award and it will be distributed to your beneficiaries. Tragically, this scenario does play out for people facing a mesothelioma diagnosis, partly because the cancer can be very aggressive, and partly because many people are diagnosed at a late stage of the disease. Because mesothelioma is relatively rare, and its early symptoms frequently mimic more common conditions, doctors and patients alike often miss the initial signs that there is something seriously wrong. Your mesothelioma lawyer in New Orleans will take your prognosis into account in developing the strategy for your case. Courts understand that a speedy resolution is an important factor in handling mesothelioma lawsuits and claims. Your case will proceed as quickly as possible, but in the event that you do not live long enough to see its conclusion, you can trust…Read More
Suing An Employer For Asbestos Exposure In Louisiana Yes, prior to the United States imposing strict regulations on asbestos starting in the 1970s, there were dozens of reports, case studies, and medical journal articles documenting the hazards associated with working with asbestos and the link to diseases like asbestosis and cancer. As far back as the late 1800s, medical professionals understood that asbestos posed a danger to human health, and by the 1920s, life insurance companies in the United States and Canada had stopped selling policies to workers in asbestos-intensive fields. Researchers and public health professionals who investigated the matter over the next five decades arrived at the same conclusion, until finally the government took action to reduce human exposure to asbestos fibers. The companies that mined asbestos and those that used the mineral in thousands of products knew or should have known that they were exposing their workers and customers to…Read More
Filing A Mesothelioma Lawsuit Against An Employer In Louisiana Yes, even though you’ve been retired for years, you still have rights to compensation for injuries you received on the job from exposure to asbestos. While there is a statute of limitations in injury claims, when it comes to mesothelioma and other asbestos-related diseases, the statute of limitations applies once you’ve been diagnosed with a disease related to exposure, not from the time of the exposure. In general, you’ll have one year from the time of diagnosis to take action to collect compensation that is owed by corporate actors to employees who they injured through negligence and deception. Companies didn’t tell workers that they were at risk in handling asbestos, and by and large failed to provide workers with protective equipment or guidelines that would help them protect themselves and their families. Many employees were not only sickened themselves, but also carried…Read More
When you hire The Gertler Law Firm to handle a mesothelioma lawsuit in New Orleans, you you’ll pay exactly nothing upfront. From attorney’s fees to court and investigative costs, we operate on a strict contingency-fee basis. That means that you are responsible for none of the financial costs of a case unless we win for you. Because we assume all the risks associated with a case, we’re understandably careful about which mesothelioma cases we choose to represent. If we agree to work with you, you can trust that we believe your situation has a high likelihood of a favorable outcome for you, and that we will give your matter the focus and effort it deserves. If we obtain a favorable result in the case, we will be paid a portion of the award or settlement, usually one-quarter to one-third of the amount. The contingency-fee basis system is a way that gives…Read More
Where to file a particular case is a more involved question than you may realize. Though you may live in Louisiana, you may have incurred asbestos-related injuries in another state. Or, the headquarters of an old employer or asbestos manufacturer may be in another state. There are certainly cases where it’s worthwhile to file a case in a different jurisdiction, and there are many cases where filing in Louisiana will be the best way to represent your interests. An experienced mesothelioma lawyer can help you understand the options and then take care of the paperwork for you. In most cases, you’ll never need to travel out-of-state to personally appear in your mesothelioma case. At The Gertler Law Firm, we were the first practice in Louisiana to win an award in a case linking mesothelioma to asbestos exposure, and we’ve been representing families impacted by this disease for more than 35 years. We…Read More
Lawsuits and other legal matters do carry expenses- from filing fees and other court costs to research that your attorney may need to perform or costs associated with travel he or she may need to conduct. The good news is that when you work with The Gertler Law Firm to resolve a mesothelioma case, those expenses are handled by us under our contingency-fee basis structure. What that means for you is that you are responsible for none of it unless we win an award or settlement for you. The contingency-fee basis provides a lot of protections for individuals who might not normally be in a financial position to have an attorney on retainer. We take cases that we believe have exceptional merit, and we apply decades of experience and all appropriate resourcing to seeing it through to a favorable outcome for you and your family. If we are unsuccessful, you…Read More
No, when a damage award or settlement is paid out in a mesothelioma case in New Orleans, the person who receives the award has sole discretion over how the money is spent. For those being treated for a dangerous cancer, access to additional funds can open doors for traveling to distant cancer centers for Mesothelioma treatment or inclusion in clinical trials, but that’s at the patient’s discretion. For many people, an award or settlement will provide a legacy you can leave to your heirs, or the opportunity to provide financial security for your spouse after you’re gone. The company that caused your injuries does not get to tell you how you can spend the money they pay to compensate you for your injuries. When you work with an experienced mesothelioma lawyer, you can be confident in having a strong advocate who can answer all your questions and make sure you are fully…Read More
